Cigarette packers

ABSTRACT

A packing machine having means for successively filling a plurality of containers with rodlike articles and independent means for forming a foil and paper pack and means for transferring the articles from the container into the pack and means for detecting the number and integrity of the articles prior to transfer.

United States Patent Inventor Goifredo Gianese Bologna, Italy Appl. No. 828,262 Filed May 27, 1969 Patented July 6, i971 Assignee AMI Incorporated Priority June 8, 1968, June 1 1, 1968, June 11,

i968 ltaly 7092 A/68, 7097 A/68 and 7098 A/68 CIGARETTE PACKERS 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 53/54, 53/78, 209/79 Int. Cl B65b 57/10 Field oiSeareh 53/53,54, 78; 209/79 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,008,870 7/1935 Little 53/s4x FOREIGN PATENTS 264,691 10/1963 Australia....................... 209/79 Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Att0rneysGe0rge W. Price and Eli Weiss ABSTRACT: A packing machine having means for successively filling a plurality of containers with rodlike articles and independent means for forming a foil and paper pack and means for transferring the articles from the container into the pack and means for detecting the number and integrity of the articles prior to transfer.

PATENTEU JUL 6197! SHEET 1 [IF 4 INVI'JN'I ()H. GOFFREDO GIANESE ATTORNEY PATENTEUJUL 6197! 3.590550 SHEET 2 OF 4 INVENTOR. GOFFREDO GIANESE ATTORNEY ATENTFHJm 6mm SHEET 3 OF 4 INVEN 0 a, GOFFREDO GIMESE m? V I) f 9 ATTORNEY c'rcxnnm racrrnns This invention relates to cigarette packers and in particular to a device for inspecting the cigarette ends and for checking the exact number of cigarettes or similar rodlike articles to be packed in an automatic packaging machine.

In the copending application Ser. No. 734,372, filed on June 4, 1968, there is shown an endless articulated chain consisting of a plurality of individual successive containers each adapted to receive a neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed. Each container is substantially a box, open on the external side, that is, on the side opposite to the conveyor, and has one or more lateral compartments, each adapted to receive a stack of superimposed cigarettes, parallel to the bottom of the box. The cigarettes are-introduced into the containers by means of an automatic feeding and ordering device which is located over a substantially horizontal section of the conveyor and more fully described in copending application Ser.'No. 734,371 filed June 4, 1968, now Pat. No. 3,531,911 issued Oct. 6, 1970. Said device consists ofa hopper extending along and above the horizontal section of the conveyor and is provided with a bottom having a plurality of successive distributing channels or ducts either inclined or vertical, each capable of containing a stack of individual superimposed cigarettes. When containers pass under the feeding and ordering devices, the successive distributing ducts feed in turn one cigarette at a time into the container until they progressively fill it with a preset number of cigarettes. During the filling operation, the containers and the conveyor which carries them continues to be driven with a uniform continuous motion and when successively filled leave the feeding device and move on the same conveyor adjacent a conveyor containing a series of packmaking devices. Each container is associated with a wrapper forming device on this second conveyor which produces a foil and paper pack. Then, the cigarettes are transferred into the pack which is subsequently closed and expelled from the machine.

Thus, it will be seen that before the cigarettes are packed, it is necessary to inspect each container to determine if the group of cigarettes are of the required number and if the cigarettes so grouped have soft ends. This inspection prevents the completion of faulty packages.

This invention is aimed at providing a device for checking the exact number of the cigarettes in the containers and for detecting the density of the cigarette ends. The present device comprises essentially a pair of sensing drums freely mounted to rotate in positions corresponding and closely adjacent to the containers and at the sides of a point of the path of the conveyor of containers which is beyond the area in which said containers leave the cigarette feeding device. The peripheral speed of drums is adapted to equal the forward motion of the containers. The periphery of the drums are provided with at least one set of spring loaded pin sensors facing the containers which are radially arranged and are interspaced between each other in the same number and order in which the axes of the cigarettes in a container are interspaced. While the pins are adapted to penetrate to a certain depth in the open sides of a container, the device is provided with mechanism whereby the contact of the pin with the properly formed cigarette causes the pin to be depressed within the drum and the failure to make contact permits the pin to remain extended radially beyond the periphery of the drum.

Each set of pins is associated with a microswitch which can be actuated to emit an electric warning signal every time one or more of the individual pins are not depressed. These pins which remain extended from the periphery of the drum, contact a pivotal element which actuates the microswitch. The pins which are depressed are provided with means holding them in this position until they move past the switch so as not to interfere with it. Means are also provided for releasing the retracted pins before they must penetrate into another container of the conveyor.

These and other features of the invention and the resulting advantages will be understood from the following detailed description, made as a nonrestrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

1 16. l is a perspective view of the inspection device according to the invention, fitted to the conveyor of containers in the cigarette packer according to the patent.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the conveyor of containers and of the associated pair of inspection drums.

P16. 3 is a transverse view, partially sectioned and in a different scale, taken along lines lll-lll of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of one of the inspection drums.

With reference to the drawings and, first in particular to H0. 11, conveyor l, which is continuously run around an armate member or drum and a return wheel, is fitted with a plu rality of uniformly interspaced containers or carriages 8 consisting of boxes which are open laterally on the sides parallel to the direction of motion Fll of the conveyor. On the opposite sides of conveyor 1, there are mounted two sensing cylindrical members such as drums 4011 with their axes of rotation 402 set perpendicularly to the direction of motion F11 of the conveyor ll. These two drums are set closely adjacent to the open sides of containers ti and rotate in opposite directions relative each other, as indicated with arrows F, and at the same speed of chain 11.

Four sets of spring loaded radial sensing pins 403 are mounted, interspaced between each other, on each of the drums 44M. The pins of each set are mounted in correspondence to the open sides of containers 8 and are interspaced relative to each other similarly to the cigarettes accommodated in each container. Drums 401 are caused to rotate through suitable drive means indicated by numeral 402A, in synchronism relative to each other and with conveyor 1. The movements of the conveyor 1 and of the drums 401 are timed in such a manner that each successive set of pins passes adjacent to conveyor 1 in concomitance with the passage of a container it, so that the pins 403 of said set tend to penetrate to a certain depth in the open sides of that container, in radial alignment with the cigarettes in the container.

The sensing pins of each of these sets are freely mounted to slide radially within corresponding holes; of a peripheral plate element 404 of the drum and are held normally biased outwardly, with a slight pressure, but less than the pressure asserted as a result of the density of the cigarette ends, by means of respective calibrated helical springs 405. One end of these pins protrude outwardly a short distance beyond the periphery of the drum 401 while the other end terminates in an empty space 406 in the interior of the drum and is provided with a small mushroom shaped head 407 against the side edges of which an associated flat spring 408 is engaged. When a pin 402 is retracted into the drum 441, the spring 408 acts as a tongue to hold it in this retracted position.

These flat springs 404 are mounted on a slide 409 which slides upward parallel to the axis 402 of the drum. The slide 409 is actuated by a fixed circular cam 4110 in which runs a roller 4111 mounted at the end of a protruding bottom 412 of slide 409. The downward return of slide 409 is ensured by helical pressure springs 409A and is guided by a pair of vertical guide rods 4098.

A movable striker plate 413 is provided adjacent the exterior of drum 4011 along the peripheral trajectory of the pins, this striker is adapted to operate a pivotal latch element 414 which is connected to actuate a microswitch 415 capable of generating a signal upon actuations. The latch is normally biased by a return spring 413A against which it is moved when the striker plate 414 is operated (See FlG. 1).

Each drum operates in the following manner. By virtue of the synchronism and timing between the movement of containers d on conveyor 1 and that of the individual arrays of pins 403 on each sensing drum 401, the pins explore the open sides of said containers with each pin in line with a cigarette end. Since there is a pair of drums 401 both ends of each cigarette is inspected. Filter tip cigarettes may require only one drum. When a pin meets a cigarette end haying the desired density, it is forced to retract into the drum 401 because the resistance of the cigarette end prevails over the pressure of calibrated spring 405. This retraction causes spring tongue 408 to engage the mushroom head 407 of the pin whereby the pin remains locked in its'retracted position even when it becomes disengaged from the cigarette due to the continuous rotation of drum.

Thus, if all the cigarettes of a container are regular in their number and density all pins 403 of a particular array are retracted into the drum so that none will touch the movable striker plate 413 and microswitch 415 will not be actuated. Subsequently, these pins, after the passage past the striker 413, are reset by means of an upward oscillation of slide 409 which moves all springs 408 until they are disengaged from the mushroom heads 407. By so doing, the pins 403, project outwardly so as to be ready for a successive feeling operation on another container.

On the other hand, even if only one cigarette is missing in a container, or if the density of a cigarette is lower than a preset minimum, its associated pin 403 after passing in front of the corresponding side of the container, continues to remain in the protruded position and movable striker 413 and consequently switch 415 then becomes actuated. The actuation of this switch generates a signal in a main detector system of the machine as for instance, in a magnetic drum memory. If the number of cigarettes grouped in each container of conveyor 1 varies from the predetermined set number of if one or more cigarette ends have a density which isdifferent from the selected norm, the signal acts on a locking device 416 through the energization of actuating relay 416A preventing the forward movement of a pusher 16. Thus the irregular group of cigarettes is not transferred to the pack forming devices. Furthermore, the same signal may be used to prevent the formation of or expulsion of the wrapper pack in the pacemaker so that there is as little waste as possible. Both the transfer mechanism and the wrapper pack forming mechanism are shown and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 828,317 filed May 27, I969 corresponding to Italian Ser. No. 7097A/68 filed June 11, 1968 and Ser. No. 828,255 filed May 27, 1969 corresponding to Italian Ser. No. 7092A/68 filed June 8, 1968.

The number of arrays of pins '403 on each drum 401 may be theoretically selected as desired, starting from a minimum of one set. However, specially for considerations of static and dynamic equilibrium of the drums, it has been found convenient to use four arrays for each drum.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has been illustrated and described but that cigarettes comprising a conveyor having a plurality of containers at least one side of which is open and in which said articles are arranged in predetermined number with ends adjacent said open side, an inspection device comprising a drum rotatable about its central axis and supported laterally of the conveyor and movable at a speed equal to that of said conveyor, and includes an array of sensing pins projected radially from the surface thereof, spring means urging each of said pins outwardly into contact with the ends of said articles as said containers are passed by said drum, said pins being adapted to retract within said drum on contact with an articleend, lock means engaging said pins and holding the same in retracted position so that said retracted pin indicates a properly positioned and formed article while said projecting pin indicates an absence of such article, means mounting said drum for rotation adjacent said conveyor with its surface tangent to the open side of said conve or, said pins corresponding in number and position to that of t e articles in said container so as to engage the ends of said article, and signal generating means responsive to selective displacement of said pins in engagement with the ends of said article to emit a signal indicative of the proper position and number of said article.

2. The device according to claim 1 including a pair of drums having pins sensing means and signal generating means, each located on opposite sides of said conveyor and means for synchronously driving each drum with each other and with said conveyor thereby inspecting both ends of the rodlike article simultaneously.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the spring means urging said pins outwardly is calibrated so as to protrude a predetermined distance within the end of said article.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the sensing pins comprise an elongated rod having a head at its inner end and is provided with second spring means adapted to engage said head when the sensing pin is retracted to thereby lock said pin, and means for releasing said second spring means from locking position after said drum has rotated passed said signal generating means.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein the means for releasing the second spring comprises a common slide for all pins, said slide being mounted within said drum parallel to its axis of rotation and in contact with each of said second springs, cam means and roller contact means connected to said slide whereby said slide is actuated on rotation of said drum to release said second springs.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein said signal generating means comprises a pivotal member located adjacent said drum and within the trajectory of any one of the projecting sensing pins, so as to be pivoted thereby, switch means for emitting an electrical signal and connecting means between said pivotal member and said switch for actuating said switch on pivoting of said member.

7. The device according to claim 6 including means for selectively preventing the transfer of a group of cigarettes to a pack forming device on emission of a signal from said switch. 

1. In a packing machine for rodlike articles such as cigarettes comprising a conveyor having a plurality of containers at least one side of which is open and in which said articles are arranged in predetermined number with ends adjacent said open side, an inspection device comprising a drum rotatable about its central axis and supported laterally of the conveyor and movable at a speed equal to that of said conveyor, and includes an array of sensing pins projected radially from the surface thereof, spring means urging each of said pins outwardly into contact with the ends of said articles as said containers are passed by said drum, said pins being adapted to retract within said drum on contact with an article end, lock means engaging said pins and holding the same in retracted position so that said retracted pin indicates a properly positioned and formed article while said projecting pin indicates an absence of such article, means mounting said drum for rotation adjacent said conveyor with its surface tangent to the open side of said conveyor, said pins corresponding in number and position to that of the articles in said container so as to engage the ends of said article, and signal generating means responsive to selective displacement of said pins in engagement with the ends of said article to emit a signal indicative of the proper position and number of said article.
 2. The device according to claim 1 including a pair of drums having pins sensing means and signal generating means, each located on opposite sides of said conveyor and means for synchronously driving each drum with each other and with said conveyor thereby inspecting both ends of the rodlike article simultaneously.
 3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the spring means urging said pins outwardly is calibrated so as to protrude a predetermined distance within the end of said article.
 4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the sensing pins comprise an elongated rod having a head at its inner end and is provided with second spring means adapted to engage said head when the sensing pin is retracted to thereby lock said pin, and means for releasing said second spring means from locking position after said drum has rotated passed said signal generating means.
 5. The device according to claim 4 wherein the means for releasing the second spring comprises a common slide for all pins, said slide being mounted within said drum parallel to its axis of rotation and in contact with each of said second springs, cam means and roller contact means connected to said slide whereby said slide is actuated on rotation of said drum to release said second springs.
 6. The device according to claim 5 wherein said signal generating means comprises a pivotal member located adjacent said drum and within the trajectory of any one of the projecting sensing pins, so as to be pivoted thereby, switch means for emitting an electrical signal and connecting means between said pivotal member and said switch for actuating said switch on pivoting of said member.
 7. The device according to claim 6 including means for selectively preventing the transfer of a group of cigarettes to a pack forming device on emission of a signal from said switch. 